Friday, December 12, 2008

Another Story About Runners Doing Good Things!

Have you ever heard of Anne Mahlum?

I didn’t you think you had. However, her story is most definitely worth noting, particularly if you’re a runner.

Sometimes I’m not sure how many folks really care about the content I post here, but when I discovered this “pull-at-your-heart”-type story, I thought I would share it and I hope motivates you the way it did me.

Anne Mahlum regularly laced up the running shoes and took to the streets of her hometown (Philadelphia) before sunrise just like many of us do every day. Where Anne’s story becomes unusual is something she started as a result of her running route.

When some homeless men at a mission began cheering her on as she passed them by every day, she thought about how helping these men get started in a running program could help them overcome the difficulties in their lives. "Running is so empowering," she said in a story published in the Philadelphia Daily News website. "I used running to get through some difficult times in my life and I thought it could help these men in the same way."

She started the “Back on My Feet” program to help homeless men start running programs. Now, the program offers morning group-runs three times a week, connections to job training, educational scholarships and housing assistance, funded through private donations and corporate sponsorship.

Anne was recently recognized her for her efforts by the city of Philadelphia and CNN. Read more about her story here -- http://tinyurl.com/5zbdee.

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About Me

My family and healthy physical activities are my biggest interests. I regularly compete in races and triathlons. I LOVE sports, especially the St. Louis Cardinal Baseball (Go Redbirds!) and Mizzou Football (Mizzou-rah!). Also enjoy current events and politics. I also try to keep up with new movies and music.